For the Sake of Humanity
by Baladar
Summary: After being rescued as a child from horrific creatures, Ranma will do what is necessary to protect humanity.


For the sake of Humanity  
  
Prologue  
  
Scene 1  
  
The Jusenkyo Guide watched the rain through his hut's only window. Countless droplets of ice cold water cascaded into the numerous cursed pools causing their waters to rise and, in some places, mingle.  
  
The Guide gave a small shiver. He himself was not sure if it was from the cold or fear of the pools but, nevertheless, he moved closer to the fire. He sat next to the sleeping form of his young daughter, Plum. With a kind smile he moved to rub her gentle, but was taken by surprise as a knock came from the door.  
  
The Guide gulped as he slowly opened the door and peered out into the dank night. The sight that greeted him gave him a bout of fright.  
  
Before him was a tall man that wore a heavy and dark cloak*. His hands were in fine black leather gloves, while his feet were in high quality boots. A scarf obscured the lower portion of his face while a dark wide brimmed hat cast the rest of his face in shadows.  
  
"Is this Jusenkyo?" The man asked in perfect Mandarin.  
  
"Yes Sir, this is the cursed valley of Jusenkyo. How may I help you?" quavered the shorter man.  
  
"I search for someone, and I believe that he came here," the stranger said evenly. "His name is Genma Saotome. I believe that he passed through here recently."  
  
"Yes, I remember him," stammered The Guide. "He was a fat idiot in a white gi, right?"  
  
"That is correct," spoke the cloaked one.  
  
"He was here a month ago. He was looking for his son; I believe he said that, anyway. But while he was here, he fell into one of the springs."  
  
"Oh!" the man said in mild surprise. "Which pool?"  
  
"It was the spring of drowned panda that he fell into."  
  
"How.fitting," mused the dark garbed man with a light chuckle. "Would you happen to know were he went?"  
  
"Why yes, I led him east, to the Amazons' village," answered The Guide.  
  
"Thank you, you have been most helpful."  
  
The man instantly turned away. The Guide watched the man walk with remarkable speed to the valley's edge.  
  
"Wait! Who are you?" shouted The Guide.  
  
The man looked back, over his shoulder. Even at the great distance, and darkness, the Chinese man could easily see the glimmer of those intense sapphire eyes.  
  
"It would be best if you didn't know," was all the man said before leaving the valley.  
  
For a long while The Guide stared into the inky black night, wondering what the stranger meant by that statement.  
  
Scene 2  
  
"In a few minutes, it will have been exactly ten years, my old friend," Genma Saotome said to Soun Tendo.  
  
Genma's dark haired friend, at the opposite side of the table, nodded as he cried. "Such a tragedy; To lose a child, at such a young age."  
  
Both men turned and watched the setting sun. The Koi pond sparkled with the pale rose light. The trees rustled in the light breeze. Clouds, whose bellies carried the color of sakura, hung in the darkening sky. Tokyo's high rise glittered in the last few rays.  
  
"I remember it well," began Genma. "We had practiced earlier that afternoon, and I had let Ranma go play while I took a nap. My dreams were vivid and full of strange and almost frighteningly unearthly things."  
  
Soun looked into his old friends eyes and saw something he could not quite describe.  
  
'Is that Fear? No, it couldn't be. My old friend is too great a martial artist to fear an odd dream,' he told himself as he continued to listen to the other man's tale.  
  
"Unfortunately, I was soon woken up by a horrid scream. I ran deep into the woods, to see what it was. Soon, I found a small clearing. There were scorch marks on the ground, but there were things that.disturbed me."  
  
"What things, Genma?" asked the other man.  
  
"The stench and the gore," the larger man said, as his face paled and his hands began to shake. "There were the remains of many horrid things in that clearing. They were not of this world, Tendo. Not of this world at all. And in the middle of it all was my sons ripped shirt." There was a pause as he took a stiff drink. Sake spilt from the cup in his trembling fingers. "There was a trail from the clearing, a trail of heavy boot prints. From what I knew of tracking at the time, I believe that someone rescued my son. And from that day I have searched for him."  
  
This proclamation brought tears to Soun's eyes. "That is so admirable, my old friend."  
  
The balding man sorrowfully nodded his head. "That it is Tendo, but I am afraid I must face facts. All that was rescued ten years ago was my son's mangled body."  
  
"I know the feeling," the dark haired man said after a moment. "It was almost ten years ago that my dear Kimiko passed away. I have never been the same." Genma nodded in understanding, already full well the details of that wonderful woman's tragic demise.  
  
Silence emanated in the room, as the day's last rays fell from the crimson sky.  
  
"Then let us toast," proclaimed Genma as he raised his cup, "to our grief, our renewed friendship, and our future."  
  
Both men drained their cups into their tear soaked faces.  
  
Scene 3  
  
"Excuse me, but this wouldn't happen to be the Tendo Dojo, would it?" asked the dark garbed man.  
  
Behind the man, as far as Kasumi could see, the sky was slowly darkening with the advent of nightfall.  
  
"Why yes it is. How can I help you?" she politely asked as she bowed.  
  
The man cleared his throat. "I was told that a man by the name of Genma Saotome was headed here. You wouldn't have happened to see him, have you?"  
  
She nodded. "He came by a few ours ago. He is currently in the parlor speaking with my father."  
  
With a smirk hidden beneath his black scarf he simply asked, "May I come in?"  
  
End Notes  
  
This is going to be darker than the standard Ranma setting, but not by much. And the title will make sense pretty soon. 


End file.
